How to Recover Deleted Files Using Command Prompt or CMD

by Mary

If you delete files, then they are first put into recycle bin, where you can restore them by the right-click to select them and click "Restore". However, if you use "Shift + Delete" keys to deleted files or emptied them in recycle bin, you can’t do the restore with simple clicks. Instead, you need data recovery software or recover deleted files using command prompt. Here in the following, I’d like to introduce you how to recover deleted files using Command prompt or how to recover deleted files from recycle bin using Command Prompt and CMD recover deleted files.

Part 1. How to Recover Deleted Files Using Command Prompt or CMD

Why need to recover deleted files using command prompt? Just think about it what you can do after you empty the recycle bin, then you see nothing you can restore. And while using the computer, it just quit, refuses to reboot. The Command prompt/CMD is a great way to recover deleted files from recycle bin on computer. Here are the steps:

Press the Windows key and R at the same time to open the dialogue window

Type in cmd and press Enter

At the prompt type in cd\ and press Enter

Next, type in cd Recycled and press Enter

Type in dir and press Enter

After then, you can see there is a list of items like Dc25.url, Dc26. Ink, etc.. Actually, the number represents the number of deleted files. “D” means the drive where the Windows operating system is installed. A hidden folder is creating on each volume that has the recycle bin enabled named Recycled. Any deleted files are moved to this folder and renamed to C <original drive letter> <number file deleted> <original extension> and the original full name and path stored in a mapping file Info.

Use the COPY command to recover the files you need. For example: COPY *.DOC C:\Temp to copy all DOC files to C:\Temp. Now you can open these data and find the one(s) that you wanted to CMD recover deleted files.

Part 2. How to Recover Deleted Files Using Attrib command

As we all know that while connected an extra device, like flash drive, or USB drive with a computer, when you delete a file from the device, the deleted files are not put into recycle bin, right? That’s where this Attrib command way is used for. You can use it to recover any file in flash drive/USB drive. Here are the simple steps:

1.Click the start button of your Windows PC at the bottom left and type cmd in the dialogue box. End it by pressing "Enter"

2. Type in chkdsk F: /f and press Enter

3. Type in Y and press Enter to continue

4. Type in F and hit Enter again

5. Type in F:\>attrib -h -r -s /s /d *.* and press Enter

Note: All the above mentioned "F" represents the drive letter of your external hard drive where you want to recover lost files. After step 5, your lost files will be saved back to your external hard drive/device in a newly created folder. You just need to change the file extensions back to a normal format to make them reusable again.

Part 3. BEST Command Prompt Alternative to Recover Deleted Files

Recover deleted files using Command prompt is a little complicated, right? To use them, you’re required to know the basic command line languages. If you prefer an easier way to recover deleted files without Command prompt, I’d like to recommend you using a professional deleted file recovery tool – iBeesoft Data Recovery.

iBeesoft Data Recovery is designed for people to recover deleted files from computer and external hard drives, like SD card, Flash drive, USB drive, phone internal memory and more. With its simple interface, people will know how to use it to recover deleted files in Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows XP, and Windows Vista. easily. Below are the step-by-step guide for how to use it.

Step 1. Download and install undelete file tool

Click the download button to get iBeesoft data recovery software. After downloading it, double-click the .exe file to install on your computer. It is fully compatible with Windows 10/8/7/XP/Vista. Next, run it right away.

Please note that if you’re going to retrieve deleted or lost files from an external hard drive, you need to connect it with your computer via a USB cable first.

Step 2. Select File Types to Finding Files

The supported file types are listed in the main window. Please check the file type you want to recover. By default, all supported file types are checked. Please uncheck the not unwanted ones and click "Start", letting the software scan for your lost or deleted files.

Step 3. Select a Location to Start Recover Deleted Files

All the hard disk, partitions, external devices, lost partitions will be listed on the interface. please select a location where you delete data from and then click "Scan" button. if the deleted files or folder in Desktop, Libraries, or Documents please system disk/partition.

It only takes a few seconds for the tool to scan for deleted or lost files. After the scanning, all found files are displayed in the result window. From there, you can select files to preview them or click "Recover" to save them on your computer.